The Gift of a Nightmare
by S. Snowflake
Summary: Due to some odd circumstances, Jack and Sally both both find themselves too poor to buy each other Christmas presents… and it's Christmas Eve! A sequel poem parody of The Gift of the Magi. This is also the first fan fiction I ever wrote.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note/ Disclaimer: **I'm ecstatic to release my first true fan fiction I ever created to this site! I made this story more than a year ago for Christmas as an idea for a Nightmare Before Christmas story. For anyone who reads this, I hope that you enjoy poetry, for that is (quite literally), what this story is. I would like to thank my little sister, who has always been my writing consultant and is really the more creative of the two of us. I own none of the characters from: "The Nightmare Before Christmas", nor the plotline of: "The Gift of the Magi". Thank you and enjoy!

* * *

**_The Gift of a Nightmare_**

**_A Nightmare Before Christmas Love Story_**

**Part 1**

*** * ***

Twas' a merry Christmas Eve

Christmas cheer was abound

For all of the citizens of Halloween town

For all of the citizens, that is, except one:

The rag doll Sally whose day was undone

She was as sad as could be, alone in her shop

Of fabrics and sewing, for which nobody outside stopped

Nobody would come to a fabric shop today

For today they were shopping for Christmas Day

She sighed as some monsters outside howled, "Scary Christmas to you!"

And she cried as ghouls shrieked in reply, "And to you too!"

"They'll have a merry Christmas," she whispered quietly in her chair,

"But how can I without a penny to spare?

"What am I to do?" she wondered aloud,

"I've had no customers from the Halloween crowd.

"Lately they've been shopping,

"Every ghoul, every ghost,

"At the Inter-Holiday trading post.

"To think the one thing I need,

"Is something I had,

"In this fabric shop, it makes me so sad.

"I'm out of red fabric, gone like a bat in flight,

"However will I make Jack a Sandy Claws hat by tonight?"

Jack had a Santa Claus suit that Sally made for him

Whenever he wore it, he also wore a huge grin

But the one thing he needed to complete his outfit,

Was a Santa Claus hat; that would be the perfect fit!

But without her red fabric, Sally couldn't sew it

And without any money, there'd be no way to show it

To Jack the next day, but then Sally said:

"I hate that trading post! I hate it so…wait a minute…

"THAT'S IT!"


	2. Chapter 2

**_The Gift of a Nightmare_ **

**Part 2**

*** * ***

"If I do not have the fabric I need," Sally said,

"I'll have to trade it for something instead."

Looking around her shop with eyes keen,

She spotted the answer: her sewing machine

A sad look came over Sally's face

"Ol' Sewey is the greatest; it was never a disgrace,

"All the things that we have made together,

"My sewing machine has made my projects so much better.

"Now between you and Jack I must decide,

"So I suppose, old friend, this is goodbye."

Silently Sally left with her sewing machine;

But at Jack's house the doorbell rang with a horrible SCREAM!

Skeleton Jack had been working on something quite great

A Christmas project that was in no way second rate

To be polite he went to the door,

Even though he knew to finish he needed to work a bit more

He climbed down a ladder two stories high

Much like a Raven descending from the sky

He walked to the door and opened it quick

To find the Mayor having an impatient fit

"Jack! It should be finished now!" Mayor said

"Why it's just about finished," said Jack. "No need to lose your head."

Jack smiled and he turned so Mayor could see,

That inside was a gigantic Christmas tree,

It was taller than the house

I appeared like a giant looking down at a mouse

Jack's ghost dog Zero began to fly up with a star

But Jack stopped him, "No, not yet!

"That reminds me, is the last gift all set?"

Zero gave a quick bark then brought the gift to Jack

"Good job Zero,

"The very last gift for anyone,

"All that's left is to decorate the tree,

"And we're done!"

The Mayor was happy, all seemed prepared

"Well, if it's ready, I'll take it to the square,

"Though the tree's great size may cause quite a scare.

"The gifts as well, since they're all done."

"Yes," replied Jack, "A gift for…everyone?"

As the Mayor left Jack's house with a grin

The horrible truth began to sink in

Something Jack wished that could be undone

For he did not have a gift for everyone

"I forgot Sally's Present!" he realized

"Oh Sally, how could I forget

"Your gift above all," Jack began to regret,

"You deserve a special gift, more than anybody,

"But alas, for your present, I have no money."

It was true, for Jack had spent every last cent

On the beautiful tree, and the other's presents

Somehow Sally's gift had slipped his mind,

Though he never meant to leave her gift behind.

Jack needed help, "What am I to do Zero?

"But you're just a dog, how would you know?"

Zero made a quick yip and a bark

Somehow Jack understood: "The trading post!

"Good ol' Zero, how smart!

"But what to trade I wonder?"

Looking around Jack was in a pickle

What could be so worthwhile?

Not something fickle

Something that would be good for trade

It would be something special,

Something finely made

Then he found it in his closet,

Near some clothing and boots,

His prized possession:

His Santa Claus suit

Jack's bony smile changed to a frown

"My suit is so nice; it never let me down,

"The suit was such a fright, that one Christmas night

"It made me look like Sandy Claws, now that was a sight!

"But between you and Sally, the answer I must find,

"And so my prized suit, farewell and goodbye."

Jack and Zero had to run out the door

So they could make it before the closing of the trading store.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**_The Gift of a Nightmare_**

**Part 3**

*** * ***

Meanwhile Sally was already there

And was asking the keeper for his fabric wears

"We do have red fabric madam," he said "How much do you need?"

"Not much, just a little, may I please see?"

A two by one foot piece, that was all

But it was rare at Christmas time, no matter how small

She had to be quick, "I'd like to trade for this sewing machine"

"Hmm…" thought the shopkeeper "Very well, agreed."

Jack and Zero arrived in short time

Hoping good gifts were still available in line

Then the shopkeeper cried "Jack, is that you?

"Everyone make room, let the Pumpkin King through!"

The crowd in line parted, clearly surprised

To see that their king had come to wait in the line

"I've come to find a gift for Sally." Jack said

"Something nice, not common…or dead."

The shopkeeper pondered and then asked him

"Maybe this thread set from the other holiday worlds?"

"Why that's perfect!" said Jack "Just the thing for my girl!

"I offer for trade this Sandy Claws outfit."

And the shopkeeper said, "A perfect trade, that's it!"

Jack and Sally would never have guessed,

That the presents they had bought would be useless,

For now that Sally's sewing machine and Jack's suit were gone,

The only way that things could go was even more wrong


	4. Chapter 4

**_The Gift of a Nightmare_ **

**Part 4**

*** * ***

Sally had just finished wrapping Jack's gift

The stitching was hand done, she was proud of it

She said "Well that is that,

"It's the perfect Sandy Claws hat!"

Soon after Jack returned with Sally's present all set

It was wrapped by the shopkeeper so it looked at its best

He whispered excitedly, "She'll really love this Zero"

Then he opened the door to find Sally and greet her with a quiet "Hello."

Their conversations seemed normal, everything routine

Nothing odd for two citizens of Halloween

Then Jack said, "Let's open our gifts right away,

"It's late Christmas Eve, why wait a whole day?"

Sally opened her present first

When she saw what it was,

It nearly made her heart burst

Inside were seven spools of thread in lovely colors and hues

And each one would be perfect for use

With her sewing machine,

But then she remembered,

Ol' Sewey was gone, her heart felt dismembered

"What's wrong Sally?"

Jack asked when he saw

Tears in Sally's eyes,

But her sadness did not last long,

As she held back her tears

"Nothing… nothing's wrong, I feel pleasant,

"Why don't you go on and open your present."

Not wanting to make her cry anymore

Jack opened his present, not expecting what was in store

A Santa hat that matched his outfit,

But then he remembered that he had traded it

"Jack, go try on your suit with you're hat,"

Sally said "It would mean the world to me to see that!"

Jack seemed stunned, and didn't try to speak

Until a minute of silence had reached its peak

"Sally," he began "I don't want to break your heart,

"But there's something you should've known from the start."

He paused again, and leaned back his head,

He was just about to speak, but Sally spoke up instead.

More tears came, "Jack, first I have something to say.

"I traded my sewing machine for the fabric of this hat,

"The day has become increasingly bad.

"I had no choice, but now do you see,

"That these threads have no use to me?"

Seeing her cry was something he could not again bare

So Jack spoke up quickly, "Sally, please don't despair,"

"What I wanted to tell you is that,

"Since I traded my suit for those threads,

"I have no use for this hat.

"But please don't cry, Christmas can't be a bad dream,"

"There must be some way to fix this, but…"

SCREAM!

Went the doorbell, someone was at the door

Both Jack and Sally got up and walked to the door

At the door were three tricksters: Lock, Shock, and Barrel

Looking ready to sing a demented Christmas carol

They spoke in unison:

"Come outside you two, you must come and see!

"We're all finished with the Christmas tree

"It's horrifying, out there in town square,

"Well! Come on Jack and Sally, we're all waiting for you there!"

Both were quiet as the three children left,

Though very sad, a new thought was being set

"I can still stitch by hand." Sally said thinking now

"And this hat is great by itself." Jack said holding the hat up proud

Both smiled as they realized,

They had all they needed, it was quite a surprise

They embraced, and then Jack said:

"Thank you so much Sally, I love this hat!"

"And I love these threads," she said, "But I love you more Jack."

A quick kiss under the mistletoe,

Held up in the air, of course, by Zero,

Made all sadness leave, nothing left to be dreaded

Christmas spirit returned, and the nightmare had ended.


	5. Chapter 5

**_The Gift of a Nightmare_**

**Part 5**

*** * ***

Jack practically jumped up as he said:

"Come on Sally, why don't we go,

"Why, look outside, there's a Christmas snow!

"Not leaving tonight, I won't hear it!

"Let's go join the holiday spirit!"

The streets outside were silent, but not far away

The Christmas tree glowed with the brightness of day

As they approached the light, a choir began

To sing creepy songs with the musicians' band

The tree stood tall above the entire town

Everybody looked up, not a soul looked down

Spider web trimming was wrapped round' the tree

Shining orange lights for all to see

Pumpkin ornaments and skulls as well

Hung on the tree with possessed chiming bells

Orange and black candy canes galore

And presents for the whole town adorned the floor

The choir then paused, every monster turned their head

And the Mayor turned on his megaphone and said:

"Jack, for a frightening Christmas, we thank you,

"And as a great honor, we'd like you to

"Put the star on the tree."

Jack chuckled, "But even I'm not _that _tall, Zero, if you please."

Zero barked, then proudly preformed the task

When he flew up and placed the star on the tree's top at last

The entire town cheered, giving moans and shrieks

Of: "Jack! Jack! We want a speech!"

Jack walked to the center of the crowd

Among all the voices that were so very loud

He turned to Sally, who nodded her head

Then he cleared his throat, waited for silence, then said:

"Good creatures, my friends, my speech is not long,

"It goes like this," he paused, then continued on

"It's never wrong to give a gift from the heart,

"For that is where good Christmas spirit should start.

"No matter how much of your treasures are lost,

"No matter what amount that present may cost.

"The last thing I have to say, on this holiday night;

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Jack's speech was cheered for, the town all liked it

But they only understood it a little bit

Only Jack and Sally knew its true meaning

And couldn't help but think the feeling

That love was the gift they had given one another

In the end they had no prized possessions,

But they would always have each other.

*** * ***

**The End**


End file.
